Re: Commuting with a bike
Check your train company's restrictions. Where I am for example, you cannot take non-foldable bikes on any peak time trains. Which I think is a horrible thing to mandate, but FCC do. So if you commute via FCC the only choice is a foldable.
Re: Commuting with a bike
Hmmm depends on the workplace, I cycle 10 miles each way on my commute and get around alot of the problems by using facilities at work.
Lockers & Showers at work means I leave my work shoes at work and then Monday morning cycle in with bigger bag containing my weeks worth of work clothes. Don't need a large bag for the rest of the week until Friday on the way home.
Rollout of bed in the morning, cycle to work, shower, get dressed, work, cycle home and repeat ;)
Re: Commuting with a bike
My New job is 30 miles away so i`m gonna need to get a train for part of the way.
Checking the Website for the train company there are no rules against full size bikes on the train.
I`m gonna have to ask about locker space. I know there are Showers at work but I dont know about lockers.
It`ll be about 3-4 miles to the station on one end then 2-3 the other so i`m not expecting to get too sweat as to need a shower :D
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kopite
It`ll be about 3-4 miles to the station on one end then 2-3 the other so i`m not expecting to get too sweat as to need a shower :D
My journey isn't so much about sweat but rain & mud... a good 70% of my journey is an dirt path on a old railway track running through a forest that seems to never dry up :P
Re: Commuting with a bike
You should check in case where ever you're working for has a cycle to work program the place my friend works at (computer department of a NHS hospital) does and they bought his bike for him.
Re: Commuting with a bike
Or if you are an contractor you can claim 20p per mile for cycling :)
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/travel.htm
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kopite
Checking the Website for the train company there are no rules against full size bikes on the train
But do you know if there will be the physical room for a full size bike jammed packed within the crush of everyone else?
On a train into Liverpool Street I saw a guy lose his temper and pulled a bike out on to the platform and got on, unbeknown to it's owner.
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheDutyPaid
But do you know if there will be the physical room for a full size bike jammed packed within the crush of everyone else?
Yeah, this is going to be an issue regardless of restrictions. How many dedicated bike spaces are there on the trains?
Second hand folding bike could be a good option, not something to buy blind on fleabay though.
Re: Commuting with a bike
These folding bikes are very neat these days, they will go straight into a zip type bag once folded down, ideal for bus or train.
Re: Commuting with a bike
I have Brompton that I picked up when I changed jobs, used it as part of a bus and bike commute. Great fun when you catch an unaware lycra clad roadie, haul ass past them with a casual "morning" and wave.
Good folders are fantastic bits of engineering, bad ones can be a nightmare. I still ride the Brompton out and about, and when you get the fit right they are very comfy, they are even used for touring. Brompton is one end of the market but there are good cheaper folders out there, do a bit of research or go used like I did.
Re: Commuting with a bike
30 miles isn't so much ;-) I probably would commute that if I had a shower at work.
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BradIey
You should check in case where ever you're working for has a cycle to work program the place my friend works at (computer department of a NHS hospital) does and they bought his bike for him.
I expect he did - after all, this thread was started over six months ago!
Re: Commuting with a bike
Yeah bit of a necro post-athon going on here :D
I ended up not taking the job that was 30 miles away as I got offered a job for more money closer to home(albeit doing something I didnt want to) I have since left that job and am working in chester doing what I have always wnated to and getting paid well for it :D THey even have a shower and a bike rack (Well a metal bar on the wall :D) I am going to start riding in a bit over summer and get my fitness up :)
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kopite
Yeah bit of a necro post-athon going on here :D
Yeah, I spotted the first necro post on it, was tempted to just moosh it back down, but then an interesting convo started so I decided to leave it :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kopite
I ended up not taking the job that was 30 miles away as I got offered a job for more money closer to home(albeit doing something I didnt want to) I have since left that job and am working in chester doing what I have always wnated to and getting paid well for it :D THey even have a shower and a bike rack (Well a metal bar on the wall :D) I am going to start riding in a bit over summer and get my fitness up :)
Liverpool to Chester? That's a fair old commute! What bike are you riding for it?
I have to say that, having looked at folding bikes extensively recently, I've come to the opinion that the only folding bike I'd ever get to do a mixed mode commute is a Brompton. Nothing else really gets close to it in terms of folded size, and that's going to be key if you're lugging it on and off buses and trains. I picked up a 20" wheel foldy with rear suspension (relatively cheap on ebay ;) ), and while it's surprisingly nice to ride for a foldy, it's quite heavy and still pretty big when folded down. It'd be OK for shoving in the boot of an estate car if you wanted to take your own bike on holiday, but for regular commuting it'd be a complete no-go IMNSHO.
Re: Commuting with a bike
Quote:
Originally Posted by
scaryjim
I've come to the opinion that the only folding bike I'd ever get to do a mixed mode commute is a Brompton.
Yeah I've come to the same conclusion. At the moment I do my commute fully on bike so don't need the foldy but if I ever did a bus/train > Bike commute again I would have to look into it... They are just so expensive tho :(